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RAJKOT, OCT 27: Narmada water will flow into the parched north-western districts of Saurashtra in about one and a half years if the Bhaskarpura project, which promises to permanently solve the water woes of the region, is completed on time.

The Bhaskarpura scheme will benefit 31 urban centres and 1,345 villages in Rajkot, Surendranagar, Jamnagar and Kutch districts which were not included in the original Sardar Sarovar Project.

Chief Executive Engineer of Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board (Saurashtra Circle) G J Ruparelia says the blueprint of the scheme is ready and tenders will be floated in November.

The Narmada water flowing from the main canal will be diverted to Saurashtra canal from Kadi in Mehsana district. It will flow to Bhaskarpura in Surendranagar district following its natural course. It will then be lifted and fed into a network of pipelines which will deliver water to far-off places in Saurashtra.

From Bhaskarpura to Wankaner (in Rajkot district), a 131-km pipeline will be laid, which will have a capacity to carry 500 million litres of water per day.

A 70-km long pipeline with pipes of 1,200 to 1,800 mm diametre and carrying capacity of 152.76 MLD will be laid from Wankaner to Rajkot. The pipeline will cater to the needs of seven urban centres, including Rajkot, and 422 villages in the district.

Another 27-km pipeline from Wankaner will supply water to Morbi, which will be the transit point for three different pipelines.

One of them will lead to Jamnagar. A 97-km pipeline from Morbi via Dhrol and carrying capacity of 115 MLD water will supply water to 293 villages and seven urban centres, including Jamnagar.

Another pipeline from Morbi to Halwad (in Surendranagar) via Malia will take water to northern parts of Surendranagar district. It will deliver 100 MLD water to 564 villages and nine urban centres in Surendranagar.

The third pipeline will take the water to Bhuj and Mandvi in Kutch; it will meet the needs of 455 villages and eight urban centres of Kutch. Pumping stations will be made along all pipelines.

Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel estimated the project cost to be around Rs 750 crore. He was confident the money would be arranged within a short time. Water Supply Minister Narottam Patel said they were presently negotiating with different parties and the project would be started soon.

The Supreme Court verdict on the Narmada Dam and the announcement of Bhaskarpura project on the same day has raised the hopes of people here who have been experiencing a severe water shortage for the last two years.